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Volume 4 Issue 8 |
Editor: Dave Christman | August 2002 |
| Dojo News. Kata practice in August was earnest and productive for those who remembered to go. I remembered this time, but Matsuura was called in to work. Barry and Stefano worked hard at #3 and reviewed 1 through 3. Bob and I worked on the shoto kata. |
| Yoshinori Nakamura's visit. | Early
this summer I received I very polite request to visit and practice with us
from a Mr. Yoshinori Nakamura, 5th dan. He had occasion years ago to spent a month
on a farm in
the USA as a 4-H sponsored exchange student, when he was only 14 years
old. Now at 30 years old he elected to spend his summer vacation
re-visiting his American hosts, the Portice family. They have a farm
in Twining, Michigan, near West Branch. Lovely people they are, as they
came down to watch kendo (first time) and see Yoshi (their 'son')
participate in an activity he so dearly loves. Before visiting with us he practiced in Chicago with his old friend from college days, Taira Ozaki (5th dan) who is currently practicing with the Choyokan dojo. |
Photo by Scott Melchi
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We asked Nakamura to keep a sharp eye out for any help he could offer us and our students. Nakamura was frank and said he noticed several things about American kendoka. He says we are more likely to NOT use our shoulders. We kind of just swing the shinai from the elbows. We must also guard against slipping into ayumi ashi style footwork, instead of strictly staying in okuri ashi. Also our posture is not quite right, we "hunch" over a little too much. He also suggested to get better, one must do at least 100 suburi everyday. For people considering 1st - 3rd dan examination, do lots of kiri kaeshi, and kakari geiko. We didn't get a chance to take him out for brews & snacks, as they had to drive back up north to the farm. He has promised to re-visit us in the future someday. |
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Nakamura is on the
Nippon Telephone & Telecommunications company team. There must be an
awesome bunch of players working there, because interestingly enough, as
good as he is, he
is only on the company D team (A being the best). He recently
competed with them in a tournament for company |
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This is the crew who were on hand for Nakamura's visit. Back row: left to right- Bob Mack, Yours truly, Nakamura, Matsuura, Scott Melchi. Front row: left to right- Stefano Lassini, Ikenobu, and Vaughn. (notice we found Vaughn an old gi to wear.) |
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Upcoming Events...... "OUR" Kata Seminar.....The 2nd Saturday for September is the 14th. Be there. AUSKF National Iaido summer camp- Sept 20-22 It will be held in Renton WA. I will be traveling to this event. The information is found here MWKF Annual Taikai - Sept. 28-29th This will be in the same venue as before, followed I'm sure by a Kyu/dan testing on Sunday. Information and downloads are here. Washinkan/Shidogakuin Taikai - Oct. 19th for more info contact: pkilpe@kendoka.org
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Each month I'll have a quote from Golf and Sports Psychologist Dr. Bob Rotello. Notice its similarities to kendo. GOLFER'S CORNER " Consciously or not, many players fall into the habit of practicing their old bad swings and make no progress. " Dr. Bob Rotello has numerous books on improving your golf game available. Check it out at Amazon.com |
e-mail the editor: let me know your comments at: dtc12@attbi.com
Freddie the Bungler